Rethinking Things
by xxAugustaxx
Summary: Gossiping students are what greet newlyweds Ben and Amy back to school after their spur of the moment elopement. With the halls buzzing, it doesn't take long for Ricky to hear the news, and he's not so okay with it! A short, one-shot fic of future scenes.


**Author's Note:** Hi all! While conversing with a friend of mine about future storylines coming up in the show, a story idea came flying by and hit me right in the face. This is the end result. It's just a one shot, takes place in the second half of season 1 (since, apparently that is what the new episodes are considered; they're just being marketed as season 2, which is super confusing but whatever.) This fic has a little of a lot of the pairings on the show: Ben/Amy, Ricky/Amy, Ricky/Grace, Alice/Henry.

**Warning:** Since it takes place in the second half of the season (aka the January + episodes) there ARE spoilers. If you are trying to stay spoiler free, I don't recommend reading this fic.

**Disclaimer:** These are SO lame, for th record. I do not own the characters in this story, the TV show The Secret Life of the American Teenager, blah blah blah. They are owned by far richer and power people than I.

* * *

Amy bit her lip, dreading what was waiting for her behind the red metal doors of the school. She had no doubt that the gossip hounds had already gotten wind and were devouring the newest news about her. She had to admit, she wasn't sure it was the greatest idea she had agreed to but at least this way, she was guaranteed a sense of security in her crazy, uncertain world.

She looked over at Ben, and forced a smile. It was their first day back since getting married and it was safe to say her nerves were on edge once more. She hated being the center of attention and gossip. Just when the whispers had begun to die down about her being pregnant, they were about to be turned back up to the max once more.

"Nervous?" Ben asked.

"Kinda," Amy replied, trying to downplay the degree of nervousness she was feeling at that very moment, not wanting to always be the damsel in distress for him to have to rescue. He had already done enough as it was.

"It'll be okay, I promise," he said, putting am arm around her shoulders and giving it a loving squeeze. Amy tried to relax in his embrace, but found it didn't give her the sense of peace it once did. It had become part of the problem. He's your husband now, better get used to it, she told herself.

Her _husband_.

The word floated through her and once more she found she wasn't sure how she felt about it. The first time she had said it aloud after their spur of the moment nuptials the weekend before, the word had sounded foreign in her mouth. Wrong. Just like the word '_pregnant_' had felt when she first said it aloud. Then again, the word pregnant was becoming less weird to say, so it was possible the same would happen with the word husband...

"Ready?" Ben asked, looking over at her once more.

Amy sighed. "As I'll ever be. Let's just get this over with." Nodding, Ben took her hand into his and with that, the two of them walked through the doors into the halls of Grant High. Instantly, the chatter quieted and all eyes focused on them. Amy felt like an insect being looked at through a microscope. Instinctively, she lowered her free hand to her rounded stomach, shielding her unborn child from the judgmental looks being throw their way. Trying their best to ignore them, the two headed to Amy's locker and weren't surprised to find their best friends waiting anxiously for them.

"Oh my god, Amy, there's a new rumor about you and I swear I didn't start it-" Madison began.

"It's not true though, is it?" Henry asked.

"Of coarse it's not… right Amy?" Lauren asked.

"Well, this is Ben. It's possible. I'm betting it is," Alice said, looking pointedly at Ben. All at once, the four of them spoke leaving Ben and Amy to just look at them.

"I, ah.." Amy began, knowing everyone's attention was still upon them, ears trained to the conversation at hand.

"Yep, you heard right," Ben said loudly, for everyone to hear as he put his arm around Amy. "My woman and I got married this past weekend. See!" He held up Amy's left hand to show off the ring he had slipped on her finger only a few days before. It had belonged to his mother, he explained when he had presented her with it, and he wanted it to be her ring now. "Yep, it's true. The speculation can now end."

Feeling her cheeks redden by all of the attention, Amy tugged for her hand back and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, hiding the ring. "I-I-I just w-want to get t-to class, if you d-d-don't mind," she stuttered, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

Ben grinned broadly. "I understand. Let's get you to class. My blushing bride." Alice and Henry shot a look at Ben while Madison and Lauren did the same with Amy.

Amy forced another smile. "I'll t-talk to you guys later," she promised.

"Yeah, I'll catch up with you guys next period," Ben said before ushering Amy away, towards her first class. The four friends watched the two disappear in the hallway crowds, dumbfounded at what they just found out.

"I told you it was true," Alice said, turning her attention to her on again, off again boyfriend. "Didn't I tell you he was going to do this?"

"I-I just… Married? Ben? We're only fifteen!" Henry exclaimed, trying to wrap his mind around the notion. Alice rolled her eyes and pulled him away from where they stood huddled by Amy's locker.

Once the two of them were gone, Madison and Lauren quickly turned to one another, shocked expressions mirroring both their faces.

"Oh god," Madison said. "This is not good. Married! They're only fifteen! And she's having a baby with another guy!"

"I guess Amy did what she felt would benefit herself best in this situation," Lauren said with a shrug. "It's not so bad I guess; at least they love another."

"Yeah, at least they've got that."

* * * * *

Elsewhere in the school, Ricky Underwood stood in front of his locker with books between his legs. Ignoring the stares and gossip around him, Ricky spun the combination into the lock and opened his locker. The problem with living in a small town was that everyone knew everyone; more pointedly, everyone knew everyone's business.

He knew about Amy running off and marrying that Ben guy before he even had the cereal in his bowl that morning. His Foster parents had felt that he should know before finding out from anyone else, on account of his connection with Amy. He had shrugged it off in front of them but the entire ride to school, he was surprised to find he was a little surprised by the news. And something else… something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Once he arrived at school and was greeted by curious stares and whispers down the hallway, his mood had quickly grown sour.

"Way to dodge the bullet, Underwood," one student said, clapping him on the back as he put the books into his locker.

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't you hear? That Amy chick ran off and married that loser Ben guy," he explained. "So he'll be there to help raise the kid; he'll have to, now that he's married to her. It'll be like his kid now."

Anger suddenly flared inside Ricky. Unable to control himself, Ricky grabbed the kid by his shirt and rammed him against the lockers. "First of all, that baby is _mine_, _not_ his. Second, no guy is going to be raising my kid but me. Got that?!"

"Ricky!"

Ricky snapped out of his anger at the sound of her voice. He looked up and saw Grace standing a few feet away, taking in the scene in front of her, a worried expression clouding her features. He felt himself instantly let go of the bunch of cloth from the kids shirt he had in his fist. He looked at the kid, who looked at Ricky with a scared and surprised expression.

"Hey man, I'm sorry, I just…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say. He hadn't snapped like that in a long time. He was the type to suppress his anger until it boiled over and exploded. Just one of he many things he was working on in therapy.

"Whatever," the kid muttered, straightening out his shirt. "Psycho," he said under his breath as he walked away, leaving Ricky wanting to punch something. Already his day sucked, and the first bell hadn't even rung yet.

Leaning against the locker with one hand, Ricky risked a glance over at Grace. He had always managed to keep his cool, keep his feelings deep inside; it wasn't very often he let them out like that and especially around Grace.

"I don't know what came over me," he admitted as Grace walked over closer to him. "That's not who I am, I just…"

"I know," she assured him, rubbing his arm as a means of comfort. "You heard, huh?" she asked, already in full support mode.

"Yeah, my Fosters told me this morning," he said. "I'm okay with it. I mean, if that's what Amy wants… I'm just worried she'll forget that I'm the father of the baby and not Ben. I have rights too; she forgets that."

Grace nodded. "Maybe you should tell her that."

"I've tried. I'm trying to be there for her and to be supportive, but it's hard when she doesn't let me. It's going to be harder now that she's got Ben…" As if on cue, the bell rang, snagging the attention of almost everyone who was still in the hallway. Grace looked up, then back down to Ricky.

"I've got to get to English, but if you want to talk…"

Ricky smiled. "I appreciate it. Thank you so much," he reached forward and hugged her. "I'll be okay, I'll see you at lunch." Grace studied his face, unsure of if she should leave him or not.

As if sensing her thoughts, Ricky grinned. "I'm fine, I promise." He leaned down and kissed her. "You should get going to class before your late."

Grace smiled shyly back at him. "Okay. Bye." Smiling, Ricky watched her disappear round the corner, leaving him alone beside his locker. Sighing, he thrust his fingers through his hair and leaned against his locker, unsure of what to do next. Things were different now that Amy had run off and married Ben. He definitely didn't like it and now he had to find out where that left him.

* * * * *

_Two classes down, three left to go_, Amy said to herself as she put the books and notebook in her hand back into her locker and grabbed different ones for her next class. She had a free block next, one she planned to spend outside away from inquiring ears and eyes instead of in the cafeteria or the library where she normally spend her free period. Wishing the next four months would hurry along so that she could get it out of the way and possibly stop being the center of gossip, Amy grabbed a notebook and a pen and slammed her locker door shut. She planned on doing nothing but listen to her iPod and doodle in her notebook for the next hour. Now if only she could get to a picnic table without having to answer, for the millionth time that day, if she was or wasn't married to Ben. She got two feet away from the door when someone said her name behind her. Closing her eyes and wishing she could be invisible for the rest of the day, Amy turned around to face whoever it was who wanted to hear first hand if the newest tidbit floating around was true or not. She was surprised when she found Grace behind her.

"Oh. Hi."

"I'm sorry to bother you. I'm sure you've had enough people approaching you," Grace began.

"You don't know the half of it," Amy said, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. She looked past Grace to see if anyone else was around. When she was satisfied that she was safe for the time being, she turned her attention back to the blond. "Sooo, can I help you with something?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Ricky."

Amy made a face. "Ricky? W-what about him?" Just then she heard what sounded like a group of students approaching the are in which the two stood in the school. Grace, hearing it as well, softly grabbed Amy's arm and tugged her aside, around the corner so they wouldn't be seen.

Amy smiled. "Thanks."

Grace returned the smile. "Um, well… I ran into him this morning and he seemed pretty upset hearing the news about you and Ben, y'know, getting married."

"Why would Ricky care that Ben and I are…. married?"

"I don't know if it's that per say; I think he's worried about Ben taking his place as the baby's father. Now that he's… your husband, Ben could very well adopt he or she and I think Ricky's worried about where that'll leave him," Grace explained.

Amy shrugged but remained silent.

"It's none of my business, but I really think you should give Ricky a chance. He truly wants to be a part of the baby's life and I think he's feeling frustrated because you haven't let him."

"I don't see why I should, Grace," Amy said. "I mean, from day one, he never want any part of this."

"Well, no offense Amy, but neither did you," Grace reminded her. She lowered her voice. "You went to an abortion clinic, remember?"

Amy shifted her feet uncomfortably, feeling uneasy about the memory of that day. She had been scared and all she wanted was for her problem to go away; she dreaded the thought of telling her parents what she had done. At the time, an abortion seemed like the best option for her. Thankfully she had decided against it at the last minute; she didn't know if she could ever forgive herself had she gone through with it. "Yeah, so," she said, nervously raking her hand through her hair.

"Again, it's none of my business," Grace said. "But I really think you should think about it. I mean, it's his baby too and if he truly wants to be in his or her life, I mean, why should you try and stop him from seeing his child?"

Grace forced a smile, said goodbye to Amy and walked off, leaving Amy to think about what Grace had said. Was it unfair of her to keep blocking Ricky from being involved in the pregnancy and, eventually, the baby's life?

Amy swallowed and looked down, unsure if she liked the answer her brain was telling her.


End file.
